What a fun and inspiring challenge this week at The Daily Post! The challenge from guest host Pete Rosos is to “imagine the cover of a favorite book, music album, or magazine.” I really like the story-telling emphasis of this week’s Cover Art challenge, so much so that I have two posts this week. Part two is here.

I think this first image would make a good cover for an album, preferably a foot-tapping mix of acoustic rock and bluegrass. The photo brings to mind a laid-back summer day when you just want to kick off your boots and enjoy life!

Between. Capture something in the middle of two things. It can be a person or object, or simply the space in between. It can also be a feeling or relationship — a bond that connects people, or a space that separates. This word might also reflect a choice you need to make — the challenge of choosing one thing over another — or any kind of transition, from childhood to adulthood, single life to married life, day to night.

Cautiously, I stepped up onto the porch of this old, abandoned house, intending to take some pictures through the front window. I was a little anxious about it – spring in south Arkansas brings out a number of insects that can hurt you and I was preparing to dodge a wasp or hornet. As I climbed the steps a flutter of anger brushed past my head and I jumped back down off the porch in a heartbeat. A mother robin danced on the ground in front of me. She was not happy with me intruding on her nesting grounds. I quickly stepped back onto the porch and snapped a couple of pictures, hastily. And watching out for an angry mother Robin out of the corner of my eye.

I love the mood of this image; it matches my emotion and perspective at that point in time – between.

For this week’s challenge, we want you to become a documentary photographer and attempt to capture a candid moment of a person, place, or thing. Put your National Geographic hat on and tell a story by documenting a moment in time through a single image.

I had hoped for a beautiful, sunny day a couple of weeks ago. Just perfect for taking pictures of the fall vista, across the Arkansas River valley from the top of Petit Jean Mountain State Park. The fog that settled in was, unexpected. And not moving.

But it also made for a beautiful backdrop, muting the normally bright fall colors and causing me to focus on the shapes and textures close at hand. A reminder to expect, and accept, the unexpected.